diff --git a/internal/progress/tracker_test.go b/internal/progress/tracker_test.go
index f7e4928..cf78319 100644
--- a/internal/progress/tracker_test.go
+++ b/internal/progress/tracker_test.go
@@ -182,14 +182,14 @@ func TestTracker_FinishSkipsWhatNeverRanAndClosesWhatDid(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, domain.StepSkipped, stateOf(steps, "save"), "a step that never ran is skipped, not left pending")
 }
 
-func TestTracker_FailMarksTheRunningStepFailedAndLeavesTheRestPending(t *testing.T) {
+func TestTracker_FailRunningMarksTheRunningStepFailedAndLeavesTheRestPending(t *testing.T) {
 	tr, sink, _, _ := newTracker(t)
 	tr.Start()
 	tr.Begin("audio", 0)
 	tr.Done("audio")
 	tr.Begin("decide", 5)
 
-	tr.Fail()
+	tr.FailRunning()
 
 	steps := sink.last(t)
 	require.Equal(t, domain.StepDone, stateOf(steps, "audio"))
@@ -197,6 +197,35 @@ func TestTracker_FailMarksTheRunningStepFailedAndLeavesTheRestPending(t *testing
 	require.Equal(t, domain.StepPending, stateOf(steps, "save"), "what never started stays pending: it shows where the job stopped")
 }
 
+func TestTracker_AKeyedFailMarksOneStepFailedLogsWhyAndTheJobGoesOn(t *testing.T) {
+	tr, sink, _, buf := newTracker(t)
+	tr.Start()
+	tr.Begin("audio", 0)
+
+	tr.Fail("audio", errors.New("gateway said no"))
+	tr.Begin("decide", 5)
+
+	steps := sink.last(t)
+	require.Equal(t, domain.StepFailed, stateOf(steps, "audio"))
+	require.Equal(t, domain.StepRunning, stateOf(steps, "decide"), "a soft failure must not stop the next step from running")
+	require.Contains(t, buf.String(), "level=WARN")
+	require.Contains(t, buf.String(), "gateway said no")
+	require.Contains(t, buf.String(), "step=audio")
+}
+
+func TestTracker_NoteIsALogLineAndNeverASave(t *testing.T) {
+	tr, sink, _, buf := newTracker(t)
+	tr.Start()
+	before := sink.saveCount()
+
+	tr.Note("reconciled", "disputes", 362, "auto_resolved", 80)
+
+	require.Equal(t, before, sink.saveCount(), "a note is for the operator; it must not cost a database write")
+	require.Contains(t, buf.String(), "reconciled")
+	require.Contains(t, buf.String(), "disputes=362")
+	require.Contains(t, buf.String(), "auto_resolved=80")
+}
+
 func TestTracker_AnUnknownKeyIsIgnored(t *testing.T) {
 	tr, sink, _, _ := newTracker(t)
 	tr.Start()
@@ -206,6 +235,7 @@ func TestTracker_AnUnknownKeyIsIgnored(t *testing.T) {
 		tr.Begin("no-such-step", 0)
 		tr.Advance("no-such-step", 1)
 		tr.Done("no-such-step")
+		tr.Fail("no-such-step", errors.New("x"))
 	})
 	require.Equal(t, before, sink.saveCount())
 }
@@ -298,6 +328,8 @@ func TestFrom_WithoutAReporterReturnsOneThatDoesNothing(t *testing.T) {
 		r.Begin("x", 3)
 		r.Advance("x", 1)
 		r.Done("x")
+		r.Fail("x", errors.New("e"))
+		r.Note("n", "k", 1)
 	})
 }